Chapter 10: The Guardians Emerge: Completed
Robeira looked up from her scroll, sensing the excitement emanating from the spirits of The Five in Herb town like a sweet, far-off melody.
"They have finally reached the last leg of their journey," she said, returning to her scroll while Tylus walked to the window looking towards Herb Town.
"Upon reaching this stage…" He continued.
"The load they bear will only become heavier." Rene finished.
"I can only hope the trials waiting for them at the end…" Pedro mused, getting up from his table and holding out his pistol after he had cleaned it.
"...will not break their hearts." Arec finished, silently dropping down from the rafters as a knock reverberated on their door.
"Who goes?" all five of them answered in unison.
"A mage of fire and poison who wishes to learn the spells of the Third Degree," a voice announced, confident but young. Robeira hovered to the door and pulled it open with a soft smile.
"Master Adrian, many pleasant salutations to you. I am advance master Robeira. I must ask before we continue: Are you worthy?"
The excitement on their faces seemed to make the area brighter as each of the masters stepped aside and revealed the Timeless Armor that dressed mannequins behind them. Helen stared silently at the flowing, sleeveless, ocean-blue robe draping over a light white dress accented with gold designs. On the head, a pointed blue cloth hat bent over from the middle. Gold rope wrapped around it, and a large gold-rimmed Aquamarine gem. At the base rested a pair of sleeve-like gloves extending up to the middle and ring fingers decorated similarly to the robe.
"I would nearly forgo the Onyx Empress for this. What name, pray tell, does it possess?" Helen asked as she admired the finely stitched embroidery on all surfaces.
"This, Helen, is the Timeless Myst of Azure. It will amplify your power slowly, preparing you for the armor you will one day dawn as the Guardian Mage." Grendal replied but was sure Helen wasn't even listening, watching as she ran her hand over every surface of the beautiful cloth, her fingers tickling as tiny sparks of power flashed under her fingers. Jack watched Helen admire the robe briefly, secretly envisioning her in the dress until Kyrin playfully slapped the back of his head.
"Pay attention, you. Besides, if you stare too long, she'll begin to feel it." Jack laughed at himself, looking over the suit presented to him: a gold stripe ran down the center of a white suit jacket, from which eight small gold chains draped to the sides. Over the left shoulder draped a blood-red cape with blood-red leather boots and gloves stitched with gold thread resting at the base, the gloves having red plates etched with golden scrollwork. On the mannequin's head rested a red Musketeer's hat with a wispy cloud-like feather stuck into the belt around it as golden flames licked at the rim.
"This is almost TOO fancy," Jack teased, picking up the gloves and slipping them on, instantly feeling a spark of something flow up his arm.
"This is the Burgunt's Timeless."
"You mean Timeless Bugunt?" Jack asked, taking the gloves off, anxious to wear the new suit.
"No, Burgunt's Timeless: legends tell of a heavy fist swinger who was the first student of the first brawler. Though, the legends don't always agree this master even existed." Jack laughed and looked back at the pure white and red suit.
"I wonder how he kept the thing clean." He muttered as he disrobed the mannequin and ran off to change. Jenny watched as Jack trotted off, already pulling off the red and black coat of his Fire Duke, revealing his muscular arms and back. Jenny smirked as she thought about his arms around her until she saw Helen taking the robe from the mannequin, looking back over her toned forearms as a hot pressure built in her chest. A glint of light from a nearby bucket of water made her look down at her reflection.
Helen's hourglass figure and flowing violet hair contrasted Jenny's toned core and arms, making her wonder why Jack was even attracted to her. She was so far from how any normal woman would look: all of her muscles were, in her opinion, over-developed and too etched, especially her shoulders. On top of that, all her regular clothes would pull and stretch across her muscles, and her armor would always amplify and accentuate her shoulders.
Helen wore flowing robes and fitted dresses with draping sleeves and high slit skirts revealing much more skin than Jenny's armor ever did. She enjoyed it when Jack complimented her on how she looked in casual clothes, but she couldn't help but feel jealous of her friend. Jenny always tried to wear long sleeves and jeans to hide her arms and legs whenever possible.
"Jenny, are you alright?" Athena asked. Jenny turned and looked over her. Even her mother didn't have a muscled look, resembling Helen's elegant figure. But that was probably because of her elfin bloodline. Yes, Jenny did inherit a bit of that bloodline, but it wasn't as strong, at least not enough to be at the forefront.
"It's nothing." She lied, grabbing the armor from the stand. The roomy magenta shirt sported gold embroidery on the front with a white cowl around the neck decorated with a sapphire broach. The snug pants radiated the same white as the cowl with silver embroidery down the leg seams. The hat reminded her of something Robin Hood would wear, though it was the same shade of magenta as the shirt with four feathers draping over the rim. Alden and Amber walked up to the Mannequin, sniffing at the sleeve, then looking at her as though approving of it. Alden purred while Jenny ruffled the fur on his head, picking up the cowl to better look at the white embroidery.
"How many Archers have worn something like this?" She asked, becoming lost in the embroidery work depicting moments of her past journey. Athena approached silently, seeing what appeared to be sadness in her daughter's eyes.
"Not many: the Stones of Time required to make this are rare. The smiths and weavers often cannot collect the needed stones for every armor piece. Many years before I came to earth, a student of mine persevered in finding all the stones to create an Everquest." Jenny turned back to her mother, seeing an almost regretful look as she curled her lips inward and looked away to the horizon.
"What happened to him?" she asked. But Athena said nothing, putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing.
"Just remember, even though this armor will enhance your power, you are not invincible," Athena smiled when Helen appeared next to them, some loose leaves spreading out from under her.
"I will accompany thee to change," She smiled, holding out a hand with her robes draped over the other. Jenny nodded, happy because she could wear her new armor, but felt mocked since Helen was coming with her.
"I'll join you!" Lillianne called, running up to them with a bright smile; both girls could feel her heavy steps as she jogged to them.
"What's gotten you so cheery?" Jenny asked as she watched the warrior fidget from foot to foot.
"My father said some armor was waiting for me in the locker. He felt I should have some armor since our enemies are becoming more dangerous. That, and I wanted to see your new armor up close," She smiled as the three of them walked off to change.
Jenny half-listened to Lillianne ogling her new armor, commenting on how it would hang on her frame. Perhaps Jenny didn't need to be so hard on herself: Lillianne was taller and far more muscular than she would ever be and didn't seem to have any problems with it. Looking back, she saw Olsen standing near his mannequin and waved to him, a smile tugging on her lips as he waved in return. Behind her, Matthew patted Olsen's shoulder with a smirk.
"I guess you and I are the only ones left to see our new armor, Olsen," Matthew chuckled, only to find that his friend was already wearing it.
"No, just you, Matt. I changed while you weren't looking," Olsen said slyly. Over his chest and arms was a midnight purple poncho, loose threads on every edge dancing in the wind. Amber thread outlined what appeared to be a picture of a clock face. On his hands were gloves similar to Jack's, dyed the same Midnight Purple as his poncho. On his feet were chainmail-covered boots, while a cloth wrapped around his ankle and heel of the boot. They, too, were edged in amber with eyeball-sized sapphires attached to the ankle. Tying down his sleek pink hair was a cloth that mirrored the poncho, also embroidered with amber clockfaces, sporting two glass beads hung from one side.
"And what is this armor called?" asked Dances as he walked up and admired the craftsmanship in each stitch adorning Olsen's person.
"It's called the Timeless Prism Lotus," Jin answered, appearing from thin air and setting his hand on Olsen's shoulder while pulling down the mask from over his face.
"I am proud of you, my son, that you have made it this far in your training. Now, if only Matthew would follow your example of expediency, we could be that much closer to leaving for the High Elders." Dances joked. Matthew nodded and turned to look at the heavy armor. The breastplate was a thick piece of orihalcon attached to chainmail sleeves of the same metal. Polished brass and blackened steel dropped into a loin guard on the breastplate. Silver-steel alloy made up the pauldrons, decorated with silver chains hanging across the chest. The faulds at the waist were blackened steel with brass studs in a checkered pattern. The helm, more like a head decoration than protective gear, was a band of steel wrapped with wing-like fans above his ears, extending to his jaw and stopping just before his chin. The wing-like fans reminded him of his father's headdress.
"I know this armor is supposed to be part of the 'Timeless' set, but what exactly is it called?" Matthew asked once his curiosity was satisfied.
"It's called Swordsman's Timeless Reminiscence. Why don't you don the armor so we can go to the High Elders," Dances urged. Matthew smiled, pushing the Mannequin with his armor towards his hut to change. Yasmin walked up to Dances and leaned against his arm, noting the sad, faraway look in his eyes.
"It's today, isn't it?" Yasmin asked, placing her soft hand on Dance's arm.
"Yes, today is the anniversary. Once Matthew and the others have left for Leafre, I will go to his grave," He said sadly, walking back to his teepee with Yasmin. Before coming to Ossyria, Yasmin knew the story about his past and wanted to believe it had happened, but there was always a part of her that never fully accepted the events as truth. Jin watched the two of them, guessing what Dances would do, and chuckled under his breath.
"Stubborn old mule." He muttered, disappearing back to his students, who were currently learning a dagger technique from Syl. If things went badly, he must ensure he was there for Dances.
The Black Mage hissed in his throat, the crystal ball going dark as he leaned back in his chair and tapped his chin. If Dances with Balrog journeyed to the bottom of the Sleeping Wood, it may lead to discovering the Mana Drill. Eleanor presented a glass of her mana potion to him as inquiring whispers arose, swallowing a mouthful of potion while walking to the window.
"They are progressing well; all of them have been rapidly aged to that of an adolescent and should be fully grown in another few weeks. I must say that finding that power source in the mines will greatly improve their overall strength," Eleanor replied, walking back to Dragon, who leaned against the wall and pressed her body to him as Dragon put his arm around her waist. In his voice of whispers, The Black Mage enquired about two very fearful creatures that patrolled the lowest levels of the Ludibrium Clock Tower. Eleanor glared at her master distastefully when her kiss had been interrupted.
"The Gatekeeper is complete and has already been sent to Ludibrium to guard the west. However, Thanatos is not quite complete. As I said before, their genetic sequence is far different than that of the creatures here, and it takes a while to sequence properly. Your help completing him would be much appreciated." Eleanor hummed, hanging her hands on Dragon's shoulder and resting her head on them. The Black Mage appeared before her, showing an image of a DNA strand tainted and corrupted by Black Magic.
"I understand. Thanatos' genetic sequencing is already difficult enough, and I doubt that allowing your influence would make his resurrection any easier," Eleanor replied when they heard tiny footsteps approaching.
"I would prefer my most trusted soldiers to be reproduced with the highest quality," the squeaky voice of Papulatus droned as he walked into the chamber. The Black Mage turned his gaze to the glow worm, narrowing his eyes.
"I am grateful for your help in restoring my clock face. But I disapprove of your short-changing me in Mana," Papulatus griped, finishing his sentence with conviction on the last syllable. The Black Mage slowly widened his eyes, tilting his head as whispers surrounded him, holding up a cloud of mana in his palm while explaining. Papulatus growled, gritting his teeth and trying to sound as menacing as he could.
"You know as well as I do that time within the Origin passes much slower than outside the chamber! I need every advantage I can get if I am to have my revenge! Supplying me with extra mana is one such advantage! I WILL have control over the time in Ossyria!" Papulatus raged. The Black Mage set his goblet down on the fine table next to him, then calmly stood over Papulatus and held out his hand.
A blanket of dark energy wrapped around the glow worm, lifting him from the floor and hovering at his eye level. Hissing whispers filled the air while Black Magic diffused from The Black Mage's body like smoke. His eyes became bright bonfires of light against the black of his face, wrapping his grip around Papulatus tighter with each word he hissed.
"How many times must the master remind you that he was the one who gave you your life back, Papulatus?" Dragon interjected as Eleanor continued.
"The master didn't resurrect you and give you the means to rebuild your Clockface to continue your conquest of ruling time. All the master offered you in return for bringing you back to life was a chance to avenge your death." Eleanor said.
"Then why do I feel like I'm being used?" Papulatus growled, finding himself shot across the room and skidding to a stop at the door. The Black Mage affirmed Papulatus's suspicions in a hushed undertone. The aura smoldering from his back flared even more intensely as Papulatus wiped his lip of the white blood and stared back at his benefactor with disdain.
"Once I am through with them, I will come for you!" Papulatus threatened as he exited the room as fast as his little legs would carry him. The Black Mage's eyes smiled: his defiance was quite cute, even if he didn't stand a chance.
"Finally! You guys took forever!" Olsen grumbled as the others returned from donning their newest and last armor for quite a while.
"Such fine apparel must be donned with care, Olsen, not haste," Helen smiled. Matthew nodded his approval of Lillianne's Force Walker armor despite her distaste for it, even if it was a gift from her parents, Aran and Lilin.
"How in the world do you move with something so heavy on?" she asked. The fact that the armor weighed her down much more than her usual clothes irritated her. Additionally, the breastplate reduced her arm's range of motion, testing Lillianne's strength with the added weight of the armor.
"You'll get used to it." Matthew laughed, putting on his headpiece and walking off to the docks. Jack caught himself staring at Jenny for a while. It was almost as if she were trying to make herself inconspicuous now that she was in her newest armor.
"You look good, Jen." Jack smiled, putting an arm around her waist and kissing the side of her head. The comment made Jenny smile, reveling in Jack's embrace as her insecurities seemed to melt away. After another few minutes of admiring everyone's new clothes or armor, the group was speeding across the skies toward the lush green forests of Leafre for what could be the final leg of their training.
"I still can't believe that just a few short months ago, you five came here and were nothing more than scrawny little kids. Now, just look at you," Shanks complimented as he looked over Matthew in his new armor.
"I still find it hard to believe myself sometimes," Matthew replied, looking over the many gauges and switches at the helm, trying to subdue the agitated butterflies swirling in his gut. Adrenalin ran high within the group; the two-hour trip seemed like nothing more than a quick walk. Carefully, Shanks guided the ship between the dense forest treetops within the forest of the Kentrous. These centaur-like creatures commanded elements of Fire, Ice, and Shadow in addition to their enormous strength. As The Six walked down the gangplank, one of the Kentrous stepped forward, setting his large stone hammer on the ground while kneeling.
"Welcome to our Forest, Guardians; the High Elders have been expecting you. My name is Kal-Yek, and the High Elders set us up to escort you to them." He said in a deep voice while the other creatures around him bowed with the same respect. The Six bowed in return and offered their thanks as the creatures fell into ranks. Kal-Yek directed each of 'The Six' towards a specific area within the ranks, taking the head of the procession.
As they marched, they chanted something in their language, chanting in time with their march until Kal-Yek gave an order. Four centaurs surrounded Jack and turned off in a different direction. Jenny thought it strange until Kal-Yek shouted another command. The four around her began marching off in another direction through the forest, forcing her to follow after them. The dividing continued until Lillianne was the only one remaining, escorted to a tall ridge overlooking a bowl where she could see five different clearings below.
"Mr. Kal-Yek, sir? Am I…"
"You can observe your friends from here, Lady Lillianne. Since you have learned the highest degree of another weapon style from your father, Aran, you are not required to see the High Elders. If it is training that you seek, you must return to him." Kal-Yek cut in, standing proudly on the edge of the ridge as though standing guard. Lillianne smiled disappointedly, knowing that, once again, she seemed to be a hindrance to her friends. Kal-Yek sensed the fall in her demeanor just as she slumped to the ground next to a boulder, away from the grand view before them.
"What is the matter, Lady Lillianne?" he asked, walking over to her and setting down the enormous war hammer.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm more of a hindrance to my friends, especially to Matthew," Lillianne answered, trying to seem interested in the small sticks around her. Kal-Yak nodded, turning back towards the view.
"They are the chosen ones; I strongly feel that their parents often feel the same way as you, " he said in a wise tone, hoping this would comfort her. Lillianne breathed a chuckle, tracing a design into the dirt: it was all she could do while waiting for them to return.
The Elder and the Pirate
Jack was led into the forest by the Kentrous for a short while until they split off and ran into the forest in different directions. Jack wasn't sure what to do, standing dumbfounded until he saw the faintest signs of a trail in the underbrush. Following it, it wasn't long until he came to a clearing similar to a living room. It was a simple set up of chairs, a couch, two tables, and a hollowed-out stump that looked like a bedroom.
"Hello? Anyone here?" Jack called as she stepped into the area. Movement on the couch caught his attention, making him grab his pistol and lowering his stance. Lazily, a man with white bedhead hair sat up and yawned, stretching his arms while looking blankly at Jack. He wore a dark grey robe with a tattered shawl over his shoulders held in place by a skull broach. Over his right eye was a black leather patch, while pointed ears stood out from under his hair.
"Are you the High Elder, Samuel?" Jack asked. The man nodded as he stood and stretched once more, his back cracking in random places. In a flash, he drew a pistol and fired upon Jack. Jack rocketed to another part of the area, having to move again when Samuel took aim and fired. Jack quickly lost his patience, moving in as Samuel reloaded the pistol. Jack punched the gun out of his hand, grabbed his shawl to anchor himself, and drove his fist in until Samuel caught it with ease.
"So you do possess the sheer awesome power I have heard so much about," Samuel said with a smile, letting go of Jack's fist and prying his fingers from the shawl.
"Take a seat. I'll get us something to drink." He suggested, walking to a well and pulling a rope up from a well attached to a basket holding various bottled drinks, tossing one to Jack after twisting the cap off.
"So, Jack Waterman, tell me. How many parties have you been to or hosted?" Samuel asked as he slurped down a mouthful of whatever liquid was in the bottle, reclining against the well.
"Parties? What do you mean by that? I've been fighting to get stronger, and you're asking me about parties?" Jack asked, stupefied.
"One can't always be serious. Pirates are the ones that have the most fun and are the ones who lead the way with their awesome supersonic hits that can bring down buildings." Samuel replied coolly, taking another swig of his drink before letting out the loudest belly belch Jack had ever heard.
"WHAT?!" Jack exclaimed in dumbfounded disbelief at Samuel's disinterested behavior.
"You've taken this 'Guardian' business far too seriously. If you don't take a step back and have some fun, then you'll only burn yourself out." Jack gritted his teeth, shaking with angered frustration, ruby power sizzling from his shoulders as he threw the bottle against a rock. Samuel watched as it exploded into thousands of shards.
"I'll go and find someone who can actually train me!" Jack huffed, stomping away when Samuel's voice became grave.
"You don't have what it takes to be the one to save Ossyria. If you give up now, you give up on everyone." Jack stopped abruptly and turned around, his fury amplifying the ruby power hissing from around him.
"This arrogant… You're supposed to be the Pirate High Elder! But you're nothing more than a lazy, carefree leech more worried about how many parties he's been to than making sure those that come to you are ready to fight the creatures that plague this world!" Jack fumed, waves of Ruby power surging from him as he spoke. Impressed, Samuel smirked and nodded his head.
"Yes, I know how I look. It takes years of training to reach the awesome power required to stand before me. I wanted to ensure you understood your responsibility to Ossyria now that you have reached such a high caliber of training. And now that I see that you have the necessary fortitude and integrity, we can begin your training; follow me," Samuel commanded with a wave. He began leading Jack to where he would teach him powerful new techniques, talking over his shoulder as they walked. Jack clenched his fists hard, reducing his rage to a strong simmer as he followed.
"Have you ever heard the story of why Ludibrium is how it is?" Samuel asked.
"No. I only know Ludi is the center of time here in Ossyria." Jack answered shortly.
"Good start, but that's not the only reason it looks the way it does: Ludibrium is stuck in time, preserving childhood innocence so The Factory can make toys for the world's kids and bring them joy."
"What does that have to do with my training?" Jack demanded, crossing his arms while Samuel squared his shoulders.
"I think it's safe to assume you know about the battle between Minerva's Heroes and the Black Mage, right?" Jack nodded, shifting his weight to one leg.
"That battle was so intense it rocked the world's foundations and strained time so much it cracked the Time Sphere in the lowest levels of Ludibrium. When it did, a slimy worm called Papulatus squeezed through, vowing to control all time in Ossyria by controlling the Time Sphere. He almost succeeded, and his meddling created both the Temporal Distortion in Eos Tower and a crack in time that King Alishar named 'The Rift' within Helios Tower."
"Is that Temporal Dis-whatever-you-said what we used to train with the Advance Masters?" Jack cut in.
"The very same. Secondary Time Spheres in both towers keep these events from spreading further. The Temporal Distortion is so severe that it will never recover, but after your parents defeated Paplatus, The Rift began to close, and the crack within the Time Sphere began healing. But that stupid worm is back, and both cracks are beginning to widen again."
"Aaaaaaand, you're telling me this because…" Jack asked, confused by having a story told instead of being told how to cream his enemies.
"I'm telling you this because your responsibility to Ossyria is much greater than you think, Jack Waterman. Your enemies no longer just cause disturbances. Defeating them could have greater consequences than advantages. Papulatus for instance: if you aren't careful in defeating him, you could very well warp time beyond saving," Samuel finished, walking into the training grounds where boulders, smashed targets, and burned ground lay before him.
"To help you along your journey, you will need more powerful and precise techniques. The first and the most powerful is the Ultra Fist. It's exactly like the Hyper Fist, but applies the Hyper Fist again." Jack raised his eyebrow and held up his hands to stop the lesson.
"Wait, wait, wait; if the Hyper Fist requires me to open my mana gates, how do I reapply it if all my mana is already being used? Does it run dry twice as fast or something?" Samuel shook his head and holstered his pistol, reaching for the large bottle of rum on a tree stump.
"To be honest, you'll be slowing the use of mana. After opening your Mana gates, you're gonna split the flow, compress the two into high-pressure streams, and then use the secondary stream to relayer the Hyper Fist. Once you've learned to do this, you can apply this Mana compression technique to all your skills."
"So, shouldn't you teach me this mana compression first?" Jack asked, becoming increasingly confused by the second; Samuel's teaching methods seemed all backward.
"I could, but only the theory. A student who came this way a long time ago put it quite well: it's like refining the nozzle on a hose. You can open it up and get lots of mana or adjust it so that the same f mana will give you twice the power." Jack thought it over before taking a breath and closing his eyes. Slowly, a bright blue aura built around his body, carefully opening his mana gates, splitting the flow and 'muzzling' them.
Jack would fade in and out of the Hyper Fist form for half an hour, trying to get the hang of this 'mana compression.' It felt like he wasn't using enough mana to enter Hyper Fist form, but the moment he tried to use more, the split would break. Inversely, when he tried to split the flow, he would no longer have the mana needed to enter Hyper Fist. Finally running out of mana, he collapsed to the ground while trying to heave air into his massive chest.
"It's… been a while… since I've… used all… my mana. Whew! Man, I'm beat."
"That's alright. Rest for a while, and then once you have your mana back, you can try again. Once you initiate the Ultra Fist, the mana compression will be critical. I'm also gonna teach you maneuvers that can only be done in the Ultra Fist form."
"Don't you think we should go to the Temporal Distortion in Ludibrum? This could take a while," Jack asked, remembering his training with the Advance Masters and how they had used the distortion to learn months of skills in just a few hours.
"We could. But then another lesson I want to teach you would be wasted," Samuel said deviously, taking another long drink of rum while walking to the edge of the training grounds. Jack huffed and sat down, reaching for a glass of water while he waited for his mana to replenish.
"What other lesson?" Jack asked. Samuel looked over his shoulder as he reached for another bottle of something in a tree.
"Perseverance."
Make the Shadows Dance
It wasn't long until the Kentrous around Olsen ran off, leaving him alone. He could sense a presence ahead of him along the path and see trees with missing bark in certain places ahead of him as though used as a footing. Out of curiosity, he decided that instead of using those smooth patches, he would walk on the ground and follow them. He pushed aside the branches, about to step through, when he saw a deep pit filled with thick green liquid.
Olsen looked for a way to walk around, but the only usable way appeared to be in the trees. He thought about trying to wade through it, but some poisons he used looked similar to this.
"If this is a poison, wading through this much will kill me for sure," He thought. Not wanting to keep the High Elder Hellin waiting too much longer, he stepped back and began jumping from tree to tree. The next perch would become visible just before he needed it and propel him in another direction, slicing through the branches and leaves as they got in his way. Just as he was about to make the last jump to a clearing, his foot slipped and caused his launch to be half-hearted at best, twisting his ankle in the process.
Just before the patch of cleared ground where he was to land, a massive pool of green goop waited, colored black because of its great depth. Olsen somersaulted forward and initiated a jumping spell, propelling him onto the clear patch of ground, wincing as the hot sting of pain shot up his leg. A rushing wind hissed towards him from the edge of a dagger. He dropped to the ground flat as two thin daggers screamed through the air where his neck used to be and buried themselves into a tree behind him. Silence hung thick in the air until Olsen heard clapping split the air behind him.
"Well done, Olsen. You dodged those daggers quite well for someone of your… innocence," A voice said. Olsen looked over his shoulder to see a female elf wearing a long black poncho. It covered her arms and legs while her silvery hair framed her attractive face, half of which was covered by a scarf. A dark blue star on her forehead made her seem more like a priestess than a High Elder of the Ninja.
"Innocent? You think I'm innocent? I've had to watch someone kill their sibling, and you're calling me innocent?!" Olsen grilled as Hellin jumped down and stepped through the pool of goo to pull out her daggers before swiping her finger through it and licking off the glob from her finger.
"I don't think that you are innocent, Olsen; I know you are. Did you think that this goop was some kind of poisonous puddle? Did you ever think of what you might have affected when you killed Pianus? Or did you ever stop to wonder what could happen to the swamp when you defeated your first foe, the Slime King?" Olsen blinked as she walked by, letting her words sink in, following her as she walked.
"That is something you must consider when you defeat any foes from this point on. Yes, defeating them may seem right at the moment, but the ripples that spread from that one victory must be calculated. Even now, your decision to become a 4th Degree Ninja must be well thought through. You may be the one prophesied to defeat the Black Mage, but you are still a child on many a level." Hellin's tone sounded harsh and offered Olsen the truth of how she saw him with blunt force. But Olsen sighed, kneeling and bowing his head to her.
"High Elder Hellin, I know there are many things that I must learn before I am ready to become what is needed of me. And so, I offer you my hands and dagger so you may perfect them." Hellin looked over her shoulder, stopping as her dark eyes made Olsen feel like a force was pressing on him. Silently, she continued as Olsen followed through the dense underbrush, listening to their surroundings of birds and whispering trees.
As they walked, Olsen noted that Hellin stopped to admire and smell a white and pale pink flower growing along the path. For a brief moment, her whole persona seemed to change; she was hypnotically beautiful, and for a time, Olsen forgot how powerful she was as her comely face breathed in the perfume. All too quickly, the moment ended and they were again on the path to where she would teach him the highest degree of Ninja Arts.
"For your first lesson, you will learn The Assassin's Cross. With this technique, you will exploit your enemy's weak point to your advantage, hitting it multiple times. It is similar to your technique, the Assault Slash. Only additional hits are dealt." Hellin pulled a dagger from her belt before appearing on the opposite side of a tree. Silence hung thick for a moment when one of the trees had an entire section of trunk reduced to splinters, felling it to the ground.
"For this to work properly, you must also compress your mana usage. Using more mana may give you the needed power, but it is inefficient and wasteful. Compressing your mana allows you to obtain more power out of less." Olsen nodded his understanding, taking a stance and launching at a tree, only able to cut it twice before passing the tree completely. For hours, he continued until his mana ran dry, slowly working his way up to three cuts. However, he couldn't compress his mana enough to finish the move. While Olsen waited for his mana to replenish, Hellin brought a tray with a small loaf of simple bread and a pitcher of water.
Straight and True
Jenny trotted along with the Kentrous as they led her to a clearing, where a woman stood amidst a simply designed living area dressed in a green robe that tickled the ground. Her shoulder-length blond hair had a peculiar green tint tucked behind her pointed ears that sported three diamond studs, while a green cloth was tied neatly around her eyes. She stood poised with a black great bow drawn tight, aiming for a target. With a twang of the sinews, she hit the bullseye of a target almost 100 feet away.
"You are Jenny, I presume?" she asked harshly, pulling another arrow from her quiver.
"Yes 'am. And you are High Elder Legor, right?" Jenny nervously answered as Legor hit the target again, splitting her first arrow.
"Yes, I am." She said flatly, almost seeming agitated as she drew her bow and hit the target dead center again.
"Well? Aren't you going to ask?" Legor asked with a snip, loosening her draw and turning to Jenny.
"Ask what?" Jenny was confused by the question, slightly panicked that she had offended such a powerful individual.
"Aren't you going to ask how I can hit a target with my eyes covered?"
"Was I supposed to ask?" Jenny asked back, unsure if her lack of questions would make Legor refuse to teach her. Legor was intrigued and walked to her as she returned the arrow to its quiver.
"You sound much more mature than you felt, Jenny. Tell me, what question was running through your mind when you first saw me?" she asked, coming a little too close for Jenny's comfort.
"I was going to ask how you were doing. I figured your eyes were covered because you were training, so I didn't ask." Legor's intrigue deepened, backing away with a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Your mother raised a quick-witted girl I see."
"You know my mom?" Jenny asked with surprise.
"Yes. I owe my life to her. About two years after The heroes sealed the Black Mage, I was traveling through the Minar Forest, feeling confident as I had become an accomplished Archer myself. I was searching for herbs when a band of stray Cornian from the Mage's Armies attacked me. They attacked by surprise; my bow and arrows were knocked from my hands, leaving me only able to summon a Phoenix to my side. It was vanquished quickly by those vicious beasts, leaving me the only option of running. That ended when one of them caught me and began playing with me as though preparing himself to eat. I tried to reason with them since they seemed intelligent creatures, which led to it gouging my eyes from my head.
"Without my sight, it was hopeless, and I resigned myself to death. I then heard the sounds of battle, hearing the Cornian scream out in pain. The person helped me back to tow,n where a medic stabilized my condition, and Athena introduced herself, telling me she was the one that saved my life. After a week of asking, Athena agreed to teach me the skills she had learned once I recovered. The Eye of Arrows was the most helpful technique, allowing me to see without my eyes." Jenny skeptically raised an eyebrow; she had experienced the Eye of Arrows at the beginning of her journey and always thought it only enhanced one's vision of weak spots.
"You don't believe me, do you?" Legor asked, turning back to Jenny and smiling while beckoning for her to follow.
"I'm just not sure how 'Eye of Arrows' is supposed to work in your case," Jenny answered, looking over Legor's face and seeing slight hints of the technique active at this very moment.
"Ah, well, since it will be one of the skills I will teach you, I suppose an explanation won't hurt. The Eye of Arrows enhances your vision by feeding mana into the blood vessels of your eyes and the skin around them, making your skin glow like this." Legor took the band from around her head and revealed her eyes. They were nothing more than empty sockets except for a fern-like design glowing around them, almost like green mascara and eye shadow.
"Normally, this application of mana to your eyes creates a hyper-sharpening effect. The spell that feeds the mana into your eyes also makes it seem that your enemy's weak points glow, making it easier to spot once you've found it. The mana that feeds into the skin around your eyes becomes similar to radar, almost as if your field of vision becomes wider. Your skin becomes hyper-sensitive to body heat and wind disturbances." Legor explained, walking over to a tree and retrieving some bread.
"Then the area of skin around your eyes allows you to 'see' your surroundings by feeling the changes in air pressure?" Jenny asked, answered by Legor's slow nod. Jenny was impressed and wanted to learn this new technique but calmed herself as Legor led her into a wide clearing.
"The first new technique that I will show you is the Hurricane. With this, you can fire a continuous stream of arrows without reaching for another. It will also require you to learn Mana Compression; you will use less mana and still obtain the same results by compressing your mana flow. By combining these two techniques, you could almost indefinitely fire a storm of arrows."
"Won't I run out of arrows after a short while like that?" Jenny asked, realizing that her quiver held 40 arrows at most, and that was packing them in pretty tight.
"No, no, Jenny. This technique uses only one arrow. Mana is used to create the rest; it would deplete your mana within seconds without Compression." Legor explained, holding up her bow and demonstrating as she explained.
"Draw your bow with an arrow, and while holding that arrow, make a copy of it using your mana and fire. Once you have fired that arrow, make another copy and fire the first with a small burst of mana. Repeat this process quickly, and you will have your storm." Jenny shook her head as she thought about how much mana she would use in this technique. But if she could learn this mana compression thing, then all her techniques could become even more powerful than they already were.
Additionally, if she used the Crystal power with compression, it would be even more powerful. For hours, Jenny experimented with different ways of compressing her mana and initiating the Hurricane while Legor gave her pointers and suggestions to make it easier. Slowly, the Compression was beginning to show promise until she ran out of mana. Jenny wasn't about to give up learning how to use the compression and started trying to use her crystal power when Legor grabbed her arm, pinching off the power flow to her hands.
"You were going to use the power of the Emerald Crystal, weren't you? Your mother told me of your ability to wield its power." Legor asked sternly, taking the bow from her.
"Yes, I was. I'll eventually have to learn how to…"
"No. You must first master Mana Compression. Using the compression on your crystal power will be more difficult than you can imagine. If the power is already many times more potent than mana, can you imagine how much harder it will be to compress it? Doing so right now will make your power output unstable and could injure you." Legor scolded, handing the bow back to her while setting a hand on her shoulder.
"I know the pressure you feel must be high, Jenny. But you must first master Mana Compression before attempting to compress the power within you." She instructed, handing her a glass of water and a towel to wipe the sweat from her brow while Jenny rested to restore her mana.
My Sword Shall Protect the Weak
The Kentrous trotted briskly through the forest before splitting off in different directions, leaving Matthew standing before an obscured, hard-packed path under the plants. It seemed to be the only place left to go, and he couldn't find the way back, so he followed the trail, his hand constantly brushing the pommel of his sword. Over the steps of his grieves, he could hear the ring of steel as if it were a lullaby sung with metal. The hushed scraping, followed by a sweet ring, drew Matthew toward it, leading him into a clearing.
A simple table stood in the center while a fire licked at a roast on a spit. To one side was a man wearing a reddish-brown cloak over his shoulders. A Loral of gold wings rested on his head, holding down his strawberry-red hair. From under the Loral, pointed ears stood out, making Matthew wonder if this person was an Elf or some other magical race.
"Excuse me…"
"Matthew Drake, is it not?" the man interrupted in a deep, reassuring voice while sliding a sharpening stone against the blade of his sword.
"Yes, I am. Are you the High Elder Harmonia?" Matthew asked, feeling timid after hearing the man speak. Stopping mid-slide with his sharpening stone, he turned his strange silver eyes back to him and nodded slowly. With slow grace, the Elder reached for a small spoon and poured water onto the blade before continuing.
"I expected you to arrive sooner, Matthew. What kept you?" he asked calmly. Setting down the stone, he dipped his blade into a water trough and wiped it clean of the metal and stone silt.
"I was the last of my comrades to dawn my new armor made by my father, Dances with Balrog. I spent too much time admiring it." Harmonia smiled and chuckled as he held up his sword and looked Matthew in the eye through the mirror-like perfection of the blade. Reaching to the side, he grabbed its gold hilt, sliding the wing-shaped guard onto it, staring into the giant ruby in the center of the guard and securing it. He then slid the completed weapon back into its pearl scabbard with reverent ceremony, a line of gold inlay lining up with the hilt, giving the illusion of the sword and scabbard being one.
"I see. Admiration for your father's craftsmanship is pleasing. Too many warriors have passed through my training with little to no appreciation of the hard labor it takes to forge such armor." He said, turning to face Matthew from where he sat, setting the point of his scabbard on the ground and resting his hand on the pommel.
"How long have the High Elders been here in Ossyria? My father's tales say you didn't appear until a couple of years after Athena established a colony on Victoria Island," Matthew asked with interest. Harmonia stood to his full 6'5" height, acknowledging his question.
"You have a right to know, Matthew. And so, I will tell you; follow me to your training grounds." He beckoned, turning to the north and almost silently walking down a worn trail.
"When your parents began training others to follow in their footsteps, only a few possessed the fortitude to endure the hard training it took to become a master. Once the people began to see not only the power a master commanded but also the fame they could gain because of it, people started coming to them in droves. Within a few short weeks, the masses overwhelmed the Masters, unable to properly train anyone. Around then, the Advance Masters appeared and suggested training be broken up and performed by many teachers, focusing on differing degrees of their arts.
"This would ease the load of the masters and allow them to concentrate on the beginning trainees while the more advanced masses received the focused training they required. For even greater training, the Advance Masters sought us High Elders to train the Fourth Degree tier. At first, we refused. We believed humans would only use anything they ever learned for the destruction of the land." Harmonia sensed a question brewing within Matthew and looked back at him.
"Are you five of an Elven race? I was taught that the Black Mage eliminated the elves here hundreds of years ago." Matthew asked, confused.
"An excellent question indeed, Matthew: we High Elders are indeed elves, but we are from a different world. We came here by accident when a meditation spell I and my comrades had been performing turned out to be a trans-world spell." Harmonia smiled, reminiscing on the events leading to their arrival in Ossyria.
"As I said, we initially refused to help the humans, but Robeira and Arec eventually convinced us that we would teach the most learned warriors. The Black Mage nearly destroyed Ossyria, and you humans banded together to stop him and ensure the safety of those still here. After learning this, I felt we should at least humor the humans and help them." Matthew felt unnerved by Harmonia teaching him out of pity rather than respect.
"Over the years of training many learned swordsmen, I have come to enjoy Ossyria and now think of it as my home, even if we five aren't from this world. Now that The Black Mage threatens my new home again, I will do what I must to protect it, and train those who would do the same." Harmonia smiled, leading them into a wide area free of trees where bales of hay and small boulder formations were scattered. Next to their path was a weapons rack stocked with heavy maces, swords, and spears. To the right of that was a small table.
"Here I will teach you the first of many new techniques, Matthew: mana compression. This technique will allow you to use less mana and even, in some cases, draw more power from it." Carefully, Harmonia drew his sword and stabbed it into the ground before him.
"That sword, Heaven's Wings, is a special sword that will try to push you away; to get close to it, you must expend mana." He explained, demonstrating its power as he reached for it with a cloud of mana surrounding his hand.
"In the past, the more mana used, the more power you could command; that is often very inefficient. What you must do is use a high-powered stream. "
"So why wasn't I taught this at the beginning?" Matthew asked, irritated that his father had withheld this lesson from him for so long.
"Because until now, your focus has been Mana Manipulation. While it plays a vital role in Mana Compression, Mana Manipulation sometimes takes many years to learn well." Matthew reached for Harmonia's sword with a nod and an irritated breath. Instantly, he felt the sword's power trying to fling him back. Matthew produced a small stream of mana through his gauntlet, easing the approach, but it still offered quite a bit of resistance. He increased the flow of mana, and again, it became easier. He kept increasing the flow of mana, each time allowing him to close the distance, thrown back when his mana ran dry, sliding through the dirt into a pile of hay.
"Not bad for your first attempt, but again, you must compress your mana into a high-powered jet if you are ever to reach the sword. Simply using more mana will only make you run out faster. Compressed mana has a much higher power yield. Here, drink this while you wait for your mana to rebuild." Harmonia said, helping Matthew to his feet and handing him a glass of water.
"Once you learn this, the other techniques will come easier. I must warn you now that some techniques must be used sparingly." The warning piqued Matthew's interest: some techniques were dangerous?
"Such as?"
"The most dangerous of these is the Dragon Stigma. This technique entails two parts, the first of which is a contract between you and a dragon. Once the contract is in place, the summoning of this technique infuses your body with the spirit of that dragon for a short time, amplifying your strength exponentially."
"That sounds like it will only make me sore," Matthew chuckled. But his chuckle was soon reduced when he met Harmonia's stern gaze.
"While it may seem funny to you, it is a technique that, if used too long or too frequently, could kill you. Yes, infusing your body with the dragon spirit will increase your strength, but at the same time, it causes your body to produce Stigma or dragon's blood. At first, you can only use this technique for a few seconds before the stigma level within your body becomes too high. Use it for too long right now, and the shock of having so much foreign blood in your body will kill you. After using it, you must let a few days pass before using it again to allow the stigma to clear from your body. As time passes, your body will become accustomed to this technique for longer before the amount of dragon blood in your system becomes critical." Matthew nodded, taking a sip and leaning back against the bale, pulling a leg up and resting his wrist on his knee.
"So, are there any other techniques I should know about that are dangerous to my life?" Harmonia smiled and nodded, sitting next to Matthew and reaching for his own cup of cool water.
"There are, but concentrate on learning your mana compression for now."
The Power of Magic
At first, the Kentrous's pace was too great for Helen to keep up with on foot. She soon realized she didn't have to walk and initiated a levitation spell, allowing her to keep up with their high pace. They seemed to be taking her to a place far denser than the other areas within the forest, and the air seemed to be alive with a gentle brush of magic.
"Is this the power that Elder Grito commands?" Helen wondered when she found herself alone and following a small stream into a place that seemed to be the epicenter of the tranquility. Lowering herself to the ground, she walked reverently forward to a clearing. An elfin woman looked to be meditating in the center with long greenish-blond hair that reached to the ground, adorned with a crown of purple thorns. Around her shoulders was a violet cloak, covering the flattering robe she wore beneath. The woman opened her eyes, pushing her arms out from under the cloak, and smiled to Helen.
"Ah, Helen. Welcome to my corner of the Minar Forest. As you may already know, I am Grito. I trust that your trip here wasn't too exciting?"
"Indeed. I am curious to know Grito, how art thou able to produce such power within the forest? It hath a calming property." Grito smiled as her dark green eyes sparkled, descending from her floating perch, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"No, Helen, it is not my power: this place has a very high concentration of spirit energy, a place similar to the Meditation Grounds used to keep the barrier of the forest intact. It is an excellent place for new mages who embark on this high degree of training and gain an understanding of the spells and power they are about to learn with ease." Helen looked around and let the feeling of the place calm her. She could feel the energy surrounding her like a warm blanket. She almost wanted to sit down and begin meditating right then and there.
"I know the air in this place makes one feel quite relaxed, but there is training to complete, Helen. Grendal, your grandfather told me you have been attempting to learn the Genesis Light, have you not?" Helen looked away in embarrassment and nodded, feeling like a child caught after some misdeed.
"There is no need to fret, child. The Genesis Light requires using something you have not yet learned: Mana Compression. While I admire your attempts to use such a high-level spell, you have been frustrating and causing yourself a lot of unneeded stress on your body. Since you are so eager to learn this spell, it will be the first that I teach you. At the same time, you will also learn Mana Compression." Grito spent the next few minutes explaining how to compress her mana and teaching her how to summon the Genesis Light properly. For hours, Helen recited the spell, mastering Mana Compression quickly, but the Genesis Light was different: every time she tried to form the beams of light that would rain down upon the ground, they would simply fizz out.
"I understand not, Elder Grito. Have I not been reciting the spell exactly? And have I not been forming my mana as it should be? Why, then, can I not form this spell?" Helen asked, becoming frustrated. Grito sighed. In her thoughts, she hoped Helen could summon the Genesis Light easily since she was to be the Guardian Mage of Ossyria. Grito scolded herself as she realized she was expecting too much of her too soon.
"It is quite alright, Helen. I once taught a student who took another 10 years to perform the spell. Not everyone can perform the spell instantly. Take a moment and rest. We will try again in a while." Gratefully, Helen sat down in a wooden chair next to a table set with small glasses of water, which she absently froze, melted, and gently shocked.
"Not long ago, my friends and I were summoned into the depths of Aquarious to dismantle a Mana Drill, halt Pianus, and rescue Carta. However, she hath said that Minerva still lives. This troubles me. The tale I was told of Ossyria's past says she perished. Is it not possible that Minerva still lives?" Grito sipped on her glass as she thought, turning her head while she thought through her massive knowledge of magic in Ossyria.
"Minerva was a mighty Sage, so I cannot say with absolute certainty that Minerva is dead."
"Is it not possible she learned how to manipulate her life force and keep it from The Erdas Flow?" Helen asked.
"If anyone could do such a thing, it would be Minerva. But there have yet to be any indications of that in her journal, which I have read through many times…" Grito's eyes lit up when she thought of something and stood.
"I just remembered something I read, though it may not be useful. Where was that book..." Quickly, yet gracefully, Grito went into her library and retrieved an old tome, bringing it back to the table and turning the pages until she was near the end of the book.
"This book is what most refer to as the Hidden Archive," she explained, reading over a page at the tip of her slender finger, motioning for Helen to come closer and read.
"It says that the Advance Masters suddenly appeared a few years after Minerva had died. They claimed to have traveled the world, learning everything they could and wanted to help Ossyria's inhabitants better protect themselves and those they loved. Rereading this makes me think of when Arec and Robeira convinced us to help Ossyria. I found it strange that they would often complete each other's sentences."
"Much like a young betrothed would do, correct?" Helen asked, feeling that there might be a connection that she was not aware of.
"No, they completed sentences as though they shared the same mind. It was more pronounced when all five of them had gathered as we relayed our decision. They all continued from where the last one left off as though they were all of one mind. It was rather strange, even for someone such as myself." Once Grito quelled her question, Helen attempted the spell again, mustering all her knowledge and strength to learn the Genesis Light: she needed to understand this spell for herself and all of Ossyria.
Balrog growled, speaking with the Crimson and Geist around him, who reported their findings. One reported that the Warrior Master was leaving for the depths of the Sleeping Wood with lots of flowers and a woman. Balrog sneered, standing and stomping out of his chamber, the ground shaking with each step. Chilling whispers rose around him as The Balck Mage appeared with narrowed eyes.
"Dances with Balrog is leaving for the depths of the Sleeping Wood, no doubt to pay 'respect' to that fallen warrior of his. I am going to exact my revenge for them taking my life." Balrog growled. The Black Mage slowly shook his head, making a large orb of energy appear in his hand.
"But master!" The Black Mage held up his hand, making the small orb grow beyond its small size. The power radiating from it made his fur stand on end while livid whispers filled the air around them. Balrog barred his teeth and growled in his throat, infuriated that his master barred him from leaving. One of the warriors who had killed him so long ago was going down to his temple.
"The decision to resurrect me was your own choice. This is mine!" Balrog hissed until a tight feeling began surrounding his neck while something stiff pressed itself to his gut. Again, Balrog only growled his response, looking away periodically from the overpowering gaze of The Black Mage. His Master's eyes smiled as he turned away, leaving the seething Balrog with his thoughts.
It was darker than Dances remembered, but with Yasmin at his side, he ventured into the depths of the Sleeping Wood. Temple ruins of the Sharenien stood as a testament to the past of Ossyria.
"How long had you known him?" Yasmin asked, adjusting her hold on the bouquet in her arms while Dances carried another.
"Tristan? I knew him when he was a boy, barely old enough to walk. His father was killed during the great Gollum wars, and his mother, well, her mind collapsed after his father's passing. I and my tribe cared for him as one of our own. When he was old enough, I began training him as a warrior, as is our custom. His natural talent with the sword put him far ahead of any student I had ever trained, and before I knew it, he had become the youngest soldier within my personal battalion. His life was cut short when Shadow Lord, he, and I went to face Balrog in the depths of the Sleeping wood, saving me from one of the beast's eviscerating swings. After we defeated him, I set up this tomb as a memorial: this year marks 24 summers since his passing." Yasmin sighed, looking down at the bouquet in her arms, bringing up memories of when Dances went with her to her father's grave every year. Coming with him to this place was the least that she could do.
A carved entrance to a dark chamber waited at the bottom of a long flight of stairs. Yasmin stood in awe of the statue in the center of the room, where a single ray of light shone down from above. It was of a young man dressed in full armor, standing with his leg on a rock, gripping the pommel of his sword as it stood before him. The man looked forward as though waiting in anticipation for what lay ahead. On the base of the statue were carved the words: 'Tristan; Gone from the world, but not from our hearts.' Memories of Tristan raced through Dances' mind as he stood and stared at the statue until a voice cut through his thoughts.
"Did you honestly think I would allow you to come here alone, John?" Jin's familiar voice echoed in the cave as he jumped down from his perch and silently walked to the statue, bowing his head with respect to the great warrior.
"Jin, you never were one to let well enough alone." Dances chuckled as Syl, Kyrin, Athena, and Grendal walked into the chamber close behind, each with a bouquet in their arms.
"How many years is this old friend?" Grendal asked kindly, setting down his bouquet. Dances shook his head, smiling as he remembered another moment with Tristan.
"This makes 24 years today." Dances replied. Kyrin looked over the statue as she set her bouquet down and admired the craftsmanship, wondering what kind of man this Tristan had been. They lingered in the dark for a few minutes while Dances told them stories of Tristan's childhood growing up in the village before turning and beginning to leave.
"How long do you think the kids will take to finish their training?" Yasmin asked as she pulled Dance's arm around her waist.
"The High Elders have their methods. They will finish when they are deemed worthy."
One Week Later
From her perch where Lillianne camped, she watched and listened as her friends learned their highest degree of training. With each of the preceding seven days, Aran and the other masters would come by and visit. No letters had come in, making them all wonder what The Black Mage had been up to during the past week. Was he plotting something? Studying? Preparing a spell that would annihilate all of Ossyria in one swoop? There was no room for guessing with The Black Mage, but it did offer a much-needed time of peace. In the late afternoon of the seventh day, five horns blared over the forest, signifying that each had completed their training. Lillianne waited excitedly for her friends to return, especially Matthew, whom she hadn't seen since they had disappeared into the forest.
"With our guidance and with their strength, these fine young people are the youngest ever to complete the Fourth Degree training. It has been a great honor to train you, especially with the surprises you had in store for us. Learning from the Knights of the Empress and the skills learned from your parents, the Masters, is a feat. Now, there only remains one task for you, and your training shall finally be complete: The forging of your own weapons." Hellin announced smoothly, placing a hand on Olsen's shoulder and smiling slightly. She took a small stone from her belt and hurled it to the ground, opening a portal. It took them directly to the forge of Black, the same weapons mill in which Maha transformed himself into a weapon. As each of them stepped through, they were greeted by a panda and given a small platter with a few blue-glowing stones, the color swirling within them.
"With these Stones of Time, you shall create weapons that will enhance your strength and become stronger as you use them," Grito explained, motioning over to a set of heavy overalls, leather aprons, boots, and gloves.
"What are those for?" Jack asked, picking up the smock and looking it over.
"These clothes are designed so that the metal you smelt for the weapons will not hurt you. I doubt you would want molten steel to hit your skin." Harmonia smiled, picking up the overalls and handing a set to Matthew.
"While you will be the one to make the weapons, Saigon and his employees will watch over you as you forge your weapons to ensure proper completion. It should take about a day, so we will return then," Harmonia continued, bowing to them and leaving through a portal. Lillianne could hardly wait, watching as each of them picked through ingots of different metals, alloys, and woods of what they felt would be the best choice after listening to a basic instruction from Saigon.
"Choosing the materials from which you will forge your weapons is the most crucial of steps. While being part of a group will make you powerful, your weapon is a tool to trust your life to, so choose carefully." With those words in mind, they chose their metals: They picked through Mithril, Adamantium, and Steel plates to be melted down, mixing in the Stones of Time within the molten metals. Some of Saigon's employees could be heard in the background uttering a spell over the metal as it smelted.
For hours, the five of them were sure to attend the furnaces, taking out the pots and stirring them occasionally to ensure that the Stones of Time mixed throughout the molten slop. Once the metals had melted to a thin liquid, Saigon's employees poured the angry brew into molds, each sparking and hissing their disapproval as they filled with metal. While the molds cooled, Saigon directed them to choose small gems, shades of wood stains, and leather pieces to adorn their weapons. With the molds having cooled, the weapons within were shaped and honed by the blacksmiths, as it required a far more practiced art.
As the smiths hammered and wrought, Saigon chanted a spell over Matthew's Niblehiem, tiny channels like veins throughout the blade appearing just under the surface. Another smith combined the components of Jack's pistol after de-burring them, while a third polished and welded the pieces of glowing metal to shape his knucklers.
Helen pieced together slivers to her staff's head, decorating the main shaft with wooden rings once it was attached. Jenny set the gems she had picked into her bow and strung the sinews, periodically wiping the metal down to rid it of handprints. Matthew carefully pieced together the hilts of his swords made of stained pewter, cast in a decorative, gargoyle design, curling upwards like claws on the guard's ends.
Under the watchful eye of Sigon, Olsen honed his dagger's blade with ever finer stones until it could cut cloth by simply dropping it over the edge. Between strokes, Olsen peered over to a fourth smith as they assembled his new claw, each piece snapping together with lightning-blue sparks. When, at last, the forging and construction process was complete, each guardian laid out their weapons before Siagon as the High Elders returned. The old smithy nodded to High Elder Samuel, who stepped forward and pulled the pistol and knucklers to the front edge of the table and then beckoned to Jack.
"To Jack, The Guardian Pirate of Ossyria, I present the Timeless weapons: The Knucklers, Equinox accompanied by your pistol, Blindshot. May they serve you well." Saigon reached into a pouch on his belt, grabbing a Stone of Time in each hand before touching them to Jack's weapons. The steel of the long-bladed knucklers turned a psychedelic blue color as veins glowed within the metal, and magical azure light ignited within the eyes and mouth of a skull molded around the pistol's cylinder. Jack slid the Knucklers on and reached for the gun, holding it up next to his ear and pushing mana into the weapons. Instantly, he felt a wave of power flood back into his body, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Amazed, he stepped back as Legor stepped forward and reached for Jenny's bows, calling the archer forward.
"To Jenny Price, The Guardian Archer of Ossyria, I present these, the Timeless weapons: As your sidearm, the crossbow Black Beauty, and as your bow, the Enigma; may these weapons serve you well, Jenny." Saigon pressed the Stones of Time into the center hubs, each shrinking into a small blue gem at the center. Veins sprouted from it and weaved down the arms. Four rings were beneath the hub on either weapon, allowing Jenny to wield either bow as though it were a glove. Donning the Enigma, she synchronized her mana with it, forcing a wave into the bow that responded back with its own power. Jenny jumped in surprise while stepping aside for Hellin and called Olsen to the forefront.
"Olsen, The Guardian Ninja of Ossyria. I present these, the Timeless Weapons, to you. The Lampion and the dagger, Pescas; may they serve you well." The eyes and mouth of the skull-shaped guard of the dagger glowed with the energy of the Stone, veins appearing down the length of the blade. The steel of the claw had turned shades of blue and violet as it shimmered across the surface. With reverence, Olsen slid on the Claw and put the dagger into its sheath, pushing a pulse of mana through them and instantly feeling the power they held rush into his body. Grito was the next to stand before them as she reached for Helen's new staff while Saigon readied with a Stone of Time.
"To Helen, the Guardian Mage of Ossyria, it is my proud honor to bestow upon you your new Timeless Staff, the Aeres. With use, this staff will amplify your spells and ready you to use the Staff of Wisdom's power; may it serve you well." With a steady hand, Saigon lowered the stone into the middle of a seven-petal flower formation of the Staff's head. Veins appeared in each spike and partway down the shaft. Once Helen gripped it and pushed her mana through it, the staff's power surged back through her body, causing her skin to break out in goose flesh. Finally, Harmonia's heavy steps sounded like Thunder as he approached the table, pulling Matthew's new swords to the front.
"And, finally, to Matthew Drake, the Guardian Knight of Ossyria, you are presented with The Timeless Weapons. As your belted sword, may I present, the Execution Herald." As Saigon lowered the Stone of Time into a triangular space below the guard, the energy became blood-red. It sprouted veins into the blade, swirling as though it were a pool of blood.
"In addition, your claymore, The Neiblehiem." Again, Saigon placed a Stone of Time within a triangular space below the guard. This time, it became a pool of swirling blue energy that sprouted veins into the metal surrounding it and made small gems on the hilt glow with its energy. With a hard shove, Matthew sheathed the Execution and reached for the Neiblehiem, which he couldn't budge at first. He then remembered lifting this weapon employed the usage of mana to lighten it. Tensing his arms hard, veins of mana screamed throughout the blade, instantly making it lighter and syncing his mana with the sword. The backwash of power shoved Matthew back, staring in awe when he realized a crucial piece was missing.
"Is there a sheath for this sword?" Matthew asked when he realized he had none for this claymore.
"Hold the sword to your back as though you were to sheath it," Harmonia instructed. Skeptically, Matthew swung the sword over his back, surprised as a sheath appeared around the blade and a wide belt over his shoulders, held together by a large metal clasp with the same designs as the hilt.
"Use these weapons, these companions, well, and they will, in turn, hone you. Be strong Guardians, and may Minerva's Spirit guide you on your journey." Grito finished, tapping each of their foreheads with her finger as she recited her blessing and sent them on their way. Lillianne could hardly believe how far her friends had come since their humble beginnings as teens from another world. They could all now be on a closer plane when fighting the beasts that roamed Ossyria. Each of them knew there were hard times ahead, but everything was peaceful and serene for now.
The Black Mage could only wonder. His last visit to the Empress only scared her, failing to reveal anything about the location of the Pillars of Time. Knowing Minerva and these parasite humans, the Pillars were not all in the same place but hidden in plain sight across Ossyria.
"Master, what ails you?" Eleanor asked as she and Dragon entered his room, bringing a challis of her mana potion. The Black Mage hissed a long breath as he reached for the glass and drank a mouthful.
"Master, I have been with you long enough to tell when something bothers you." Eleanor teased, returning to Dragon's side. The Black Mage replied in thousands of murmurs, making Eleanor tilt her head in interest.
"I think this student needs a reward. What exactly are the Pillars of Time?" Dragon asked, not being as well versed in spells as the two standing before him.
"An honest question, Dragon: The Pillars of Time are neither pillars nor do they have anything to do with time. These pillars are twelve stones used to ensure a spell is permanent if channeled through them when cast. Using these stones would allow Our Master to reclaim the power of the crystals and keep them that way," Eleanor explained as The Black Mage nodded to her explanation.
"Forgive me if I sound ignorant, but where in lays the problem?" Dragon asked, shifting his weight and putting an arm around Eleanor. Whispers filled the air as The Black Mage explained that searching for them would be the hardest of tasks to date. The Black Mage's voice sounded almost as if there was a smile within it, something that both Eleanor and Dragon weren't sure what it meant. He turned to Eleanor and asked a question of her in a cacophony of whispers.
"Yes master; Thanatos is complete and has been sent to the east side of the Ludibrium Castle, guarding Papulatus." The Black Mage nodded, instructing them to watch Papulatus for any sign of treachery. With a bow, they left his presence for their task. The Black Mage turned to the window and swallowed another mouthful of Eleanor's potion, his eyes narrowing as he thought of possibilities on where the Pillars of Time could be. Rhinne created those gems thousands of years ago, and even if he could recall their trajectory when the little goddess sent them throughout the world, the millennia would no doubt have moved them by now.
"With oil and water, I will create a new beginning…"
"…And with sweat and grease, I will rise from the ashes." The informant answered as Checky, Claudine, and Abi relaxed, knowing their informant had come.
"What's been keeping you? We've been in the dark for quite a long time."
"Sorry, there hasn't been much to report until now. The Guardians have just completed their Fourth Degree training, and The Black Mage has begun looking for something called the Pillars of Time. I could only find out that they are some kind of relic used for spell encryption."
"I see; have you found anything else on what the Black Wings have been doing with the people in the tanks?" Claudine asked.
"I'm sorry, they are all tight-lipped about that information, so I haven't been able to find anything. I could go searching, but that information is waaaaay above my rank." Claudine nodded her thanks while the informant left, making Abi ask her own question.
"Maybe those weird zombie-looking people had something to do with it. They looked to be shipping them off by the truckload."
"That may be the case, Abi, but we'll have to wait a while before we do anything drastic again. Making too much noise could jeopardize our whole operation," Claudine explained, thanking the informant as he left. Abi nodded as she followed them back into the garage, where their small fleet of battle mechs came together nicely.